just found this sorry if already seen but its worth a watch data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
JBJ explains his decision;
http://mmajunkie.com/news/30352/jon-jones-laments-loss-of-ufc-151-but-stands-behind-decision-to-turn-down-replacement.mma
I'm going way out on a limb here but don't see the big issue here.
Jones's opponent got injured, Jones was offered a completely different fighter at 8 days notice and said no. Where's the problem with that?
Can you imagine the same thing in boxing? Pacman is offered a fight with a different fighter at 8 days notice -no way he would agree.
I think JBJ has made the correct choice. At the end of the day, the contracted fight was with henderson, fight gets cancelled thru no fault of Jones's and then Dana throws a hissyfit and cancels the whole of the card to make Jones look bad.
All the other fighters - yeah, I can see their point but it's Dana who cancelled the card - not Jones - take it up with Dana - oh that's right - they won't cause he's the boss.
I don't see GSP taking a fight on 8 days notice with a different opponent and putting his title on the line (ignoring current injury etc).
All this Jones hating is way over the top. People are always to quick to knock you down when your at the top of the pile, Jones has made a choice - Dana didn't like it so decided to pull the whole card - Dana is the one that's needing sorted out here.
Spot on.
On one hand, I think he should have taken the fight. If nothing else, simply to repay the UFC for their faith in him and the push they have given. Plus in my opinion it was a low risk fight. But at the same time it was a low reward high risk fight.
Mike Bisping took Sonnen on 8 days notice. Jones could have too.
But the fact is, the event was cancelled because it was weak. Jones didn't cancel it. Dana did.
I think it was a low risk replacement fight - but potentially a higher payout one (Sonnen is still riding his wave of hype for the time being).
JBJ was due to fight a wrestler with devastating knockout power, a concrete jaw and a run of wins against (generally) good opponents
He turns down a fight against a wrestler with zero knockout power, a questionable jaw and a run of.... mediocrity
Sure he's probably been training to avoid an the heavy right of Hendo, rather than defending the takedown, but it isn't as if he's been training for a BJJ fighter who get's swapped for a striker.
In my opinion, he should have taken the fight.I like JBJ (apart from the Godsquad rubbish), but I respect him a bit less now.
Perhaps he believed Sonnen's hype
Excellent article here IMO.
http://mmajunkie.com/news/30365/a-guide-to-playing-a-complex-blame-game-in-the-wake-of-ufc-151s-cancellation.mma
Jackson also explains the difference from Hendo to Sonnen despite their similarities.
Second episode of Fight Factory is here.
Annoyingly, it looks like we were gonna get the prelims next weekend data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I can't seem to post pics from my iPhone anymore, but it's in the planner for 2am next Sunday
They both have granite jaws don't they?
They are completely different wrestlers too. Hendo doesn't wrestle much and when he does, he's nowhere near as effective as Sonnen. Hendo never even attempts double leg TDs whereas Chael is one of the best in the game and is relentless with them. Sonnen's also a southpaw.
I agree with you though that JB could've taken the fight and would've won but as Booyaka said, the reason the card got cancelled was because of Dana.
I wasn't saying they were identical fighters, just that they were not exactly chalk and cheese and if anything Sonnen was an easier fight.
Undoubtedly Sonnen is a more effective wrestler, but there's not much to worry about when he takes you on the ground (how many ineffective strikes vs Silva in their first fight?)
I think JBJ would have been more worried about Hendo hitting him with an anvil, than Sonnen taking him down.
I don't blame JBJ for the event being cancelled (although had he accepted the Sonnen fight it wouldn't have been), but I am disappointed that he chose not to accept an arguably easier fight against a 'similar' fighter.